


soft indie hipster shit

by giuliamaze



Category: Watch Dogs (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Wrench is Awkward, Bisexuality, Blume!Marcus, Falling In Love, M/M, Marcus is Smooth, Not Beta Read, Secret Identity, Secret Identity Fail, title may be temporary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26107918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giuliamaze/pseuds/giuliamaze
Summary: Ray let out a loud, disgusting laughter in his ear. “This your first Bond girl, kid?”The one where Marcus works for Blume and Wrench stupidly falls for him anyway.
Relationships: Marcus Holloway/Wrench (Watch Dogs)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 71





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Can we suspend belief for a moment, and imagine Wrench would actually take off his mask in public without dying?  
> Grazie, prego, tornerò.

The Wrench kept his gaze fixed in the rearview mirror and absentmindedly tapped his phone on the wheel.  
  
He wasn’t Kevin “Chewbarka34” Ward’s greatest fan, but he _was_ Dedsec, and with Horatio under HR investigation he hadn’t had much of a choice: it was either jump on his van, destination Nudle, or suffer Sitara’s scolding.  
  
_“Mr. Carlin, I’m going to ask you to follow me...”_  
  
Wrench threw his phone on the passenger seat with an angry grunt: Horatio had managed to give Kevin the key code to the lower level of the building, but would that be enough?  
  
“Josh, I’m off to the eastern building, somebody is bound to find the knocked out guards.”  
  
_“Aw, thank you man! Didn’t know you cared!”_ was Kevin's cheerful reply.  
  
He huffed as he got out of the van and quickly made his way through the garden.  
  
“I don’t care about you, man. You almost blew up an entire floor! So much for the stealth hacker!”  
  
Lie: he found Kevin knocking out an entire floor without raising suspects _so cool_ and he had not been silent about it – but still.  
  
Not this Chewie's fan.  
  
Kevin laughed at him through the comm-link, and just a second later he was gronaning against the resetting gates.  
  
_“This is gonna take forever.”_  
  
Wrench didn’t reply; he took off his mask and slipped it into the appointed inside pocket of his vest. He checked on his gun one last time and avoided the eyes of the security guard at the entrance as he scanned his phone in place of a personnel badge.  
  
He had already spotted a janitorial closet from the feed: it was easy to swipe a uniform jacket to wear on top of his vest, a pretty ugly hat, and a cleaning cart, promptly parked next to the main stairs to the top floor.  
  
As an afterthought he added too a "wet floor" sign.  
  
Standing ovation. Master of deception.  
  
“News on Horatio?” Wrench quietly asked into his comm while pretending to mop around the base of the stairs for the benefit of passersby.  
  
The much coveted update came from Josh: _“Brody is getting him arrested as we speak.”_  
  
“Fuck!”  
  
_“Chewie get a move on!”_ Sitara screamed in their ear.  
  
_“I’m in, Momma! I’m in! Trying to locate the --”_  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
Wrench turned so quickly he almost got whiplash. The guy that had approached him smiled, charming and polite. He was displaying a Visitor badge on top of his Plainstock gray sweater.  
  
“M- Me?” he forced out the word.  
  
“No, _me_ ,” the stranger laughed sheepishly. “Sorry, not funny. Is there a different way upstairs?”  
  
Master of deception, indeed.  
  
“Not… really? No?”  
  
_“Wrench what the fuck are you --”_  
  
“Sorry, my bad,” Wrench shook his head. Panic was rising in his throat and he **strongly** hoped the friends following the scene through the security cameras would come to his aid. “Wh- Where is it that you need to go?”  
  
"Upstairs."  
  
"Upstairs?"  
  
"The executive meeting room." After a few beats of silence, he added slowly, grinning at his own joke: "You know, corporate slang for slaughter-house?"  
  
Jokes Wrench could do.  
  
"Nah, you don't need to go upstairs."  
  
"Mh - actually, I do."  
  
"Try again," he supplied, crossing his arms in an attempt to stop himself from waving like a maniac. "Maybe the evil lair near parking B? Or the breakroom, they are about the same."  
  
Weird Visitor guy kept on smiling, gentle and amused, and Wrench was unable to stop looking into his eyes. The damn fucker had a pretty good stage presence.  
  
The stranger asked, “You new around here?”  
  
Not far from them a socket sizzled and called for their attention – Dedsec’s helping hand to their cornered friend.  
Wrench used the guy’s distraction to put his hand to the gun, ready to fight.  
  
“First day today, actually.”  
  
“Well, man, congratulations on your new job!” the guy raised his fist and looked at Wrench expectantly. “You gonna leave me hanging?”  
  
_“Is it **really** the time to suddenly become friendly, Wrench, get out of there! Wrench!!”_  
  
_“Fuck, yes, I’m in!”_ Kevin suddenly announced. _“I’m getting you out Horatio!”_  
  
The engineer, not used to being around strangers without his mask, was contemplating taking out his gun and opening fire on the nearest potted plant. The loud screeches coming from his earpiece made him even more nervous, but they also helped with Mr. Plainstock: his sudden tension gave the wrong impression to the guy, who lowered his hand a bit awkwardly.  
  
“I know for a fact that Leonard isn't gonna explain you shit, that guy is an asshole. You wanna join me on break? I could help you a bit, with the layout and names… stuff...?”  
  
_“Okay, no – what?”_  
  
“What?”  
  
Ray let out a loud, disgusting laughter in his ear. _“This your first Bond girl, kid?”_  
  
Wrench covered his face with his hands and sighed. This really wasn't what he had in mind when, a few hours earlier, he had woken up rumpled and just a little bit hangover on the creaky headquarter couch.  
  
The guy was dead set on this weird stare off.  
  
Wrench found him soft and friendly and intimidating.  
  
Anxiety turned the air in his lungs toxic.  
  
“No, shut up – _not you_ – sorry, man, I gotta go.”  
  
He turned for the door, kicking down the “wet floor” sign in his haste to leave.  
  
_“Don’t you wanna get coffee with the pretty boy, Wrench?”_ Ray teased him, only to be reprimanded by Sitara.  
  
_“What pretty boy?”_ Kevin barged into the conversation, slightly out of breath. _“I’m at the light bulbs, bring out the pretty boys!”_  
  
He was seriously contemplating cutting off the team. Instead he quietly walked out of the building, donned his disguise in a blind corner and wore his mask again.  
Strongly against _existing_ in public, mask or not, he reached and climbed onto his van as soon as he could manage without attracting attention.  
  
Meanwhile Kevin, dismissive of authority as usual, had forgotten about the security guards that could jump on them at any moment and was taking cute, fashion-forward selfies with the bulbs to post on social media.  
  
“Where is _he_? HR kidnapped him again?” Wrench asked, going on and checking again the camera feed for Horatio's position purely out of worry.  
  
_“He's a free man, he's socialising,”_ Sitara answered, not at all worried.  
  
It took him a few seconds to understand the scene playing out on the small screen of his phone.  
  
“Of course,” he sighed, more resigned than angry at his luck. “Of fucking course.”  
  
T-bone laughed, and laughed.  
  
_“No, man, seriously – I'm so happy for you. Fuck Brody. Fuck them.”_ Visitor guy was vigorously slapping Horatio's shoulder, pulling him into a half hug as he (unknowingly) congratulated them on illegal activities.  
  
Horatio the sweetheart, the family man, the ever friendly Nudle employee hugged the man back and patted his shoulder.  
  
_“Thank you Marcus. It means a lot.”_  
  
_“A lot of prison for him, you mean?”_  
  
The fucker – _Marcus_ – had a stupid laughter and needed to shut up forever.  
  
_“Yeah, that too,”_ Horatio nodded, and laughed along, and agreed with him. Traitor.  
  
_“Listen, man, I've got --”_  
  
_“Um, yes, I'm going too. I'll walk out with you.”_  
  
He watched closely as the guy kept his hand on Horatio, while single handedly send a text. They were touchy, clearly familiar with each other: it spoke volumes about this Marcus character, and Wrench found him a bit less stupid. Not much, anyway.  
  
_”Where are you running off, Wrench?”_ Josh asked him, and Kevin snorted.  
  
_”Horatio, turn your feed on, this is hilarious.”_  
  
"Kevin, you just made a powerful enemy."  
  
_"What are you gonna do about it, lift a stapler above your head?"_  
  
Weird, co-dependent, millennial little shits, all of them. Wrench ripped out his headpiece and drove off making as much noise as possible. He spent the rest of the day planning useless revenge on his friends and setting random stuff on fire.  
  
  
  
Horatio waited a few days – and his third beer of the night – before stealing his phone and setting up a new contact, only naming it with a winky face. It obviously sat on the very top of the list.  
  
The whole thing was distinctly **not** hilarious.  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

The Wrench knew lying to Horatio would take him nowhere. He had been given the phone number two weeks prior and never had used it; he was now weighting his options, wondering how long he could pretend to be talking to Marcus with _romantic_ intentions - and briefly landed on unrealistic fake dating scenarios - before shaking his head.

"Nope," he admitted.

"Man. Wrench. Dude." Horatio put his hands on his shoulders, looking his friend straight in mask, aiming for where his eyes would be (in case his face wasn't horribly disfigured). " **Text him**. He's funny. He knows what he's talking about. I stole a few of your jokes and he genuinely laughed."

Wrench shrugged, then turned back to his bench and started viciously stabbing his latest project with a screwdriver.

Nothing from Horatio's speech actually told him, _the guy would be a good match for you_. Not that he could have a good match without starting a fire.

"That was nice of you," he settled on, even though the other could 100% guess he was being sarcastic. "I'd still rather kick myself in the balls."

After a brief silence Horatio gave up on their conversation, walking off to his desk. Wrench didn't sigh, deciding to concentrate and better the damage he has just caused to his own work.

He _had_ tried to contact the fucker.

Had done his research first: Marcus was originally from Oakland. Work experience with two small electronics companies, then a ugly scare with the law a few months back; his family had been very supportive and the whole thing had soon cleared up, only a month before winning the Nudle internship.

Smart, clean, healthy, loyal little shit.

Still being friends with Horatio after the internship probably meant funny, too.

This meant Wrench had to try, _really_ try, if he wanted to make an impression: this kind of thinking had already earned him several stomachaches, two killer hangovers, and a drunk one-sided conversation with Josh about San Francisco dating scene and cheap beer.

There was no winning this.

-

There was huge satisfaction in watching arrogant rich dicks being left with nothing but dust and the clothes they had on themselves; watching and commenting the footage with his friends, snacks and alcohol had put Wrench in a very good mood - even if it was thanks to Kevin, technically, _and we do not like Kevin_.

That same night, at the garage, he sat on hard concrete with his laptop on his knees, emulated an untraceable phone number and texted Marcus.

Just a little something to break the ice, all the while trying not to obsess about the fact that the guy had already seen his face under the mask.

i looked you up

youre cool

It was… anticlimactic, after that.  
  
It was 2 AM, after all, and the guy _did_ work nine to five.  
  
Wrench fucked around with some old project for an hour before giving up and lying down to sleep.  
  
  
-  
  
  
He woke up several hours later to a few text messages and a missed call from Horatio: he only read the last one _(Don't be an ass and give him a REAL chance)_ , deemed the whole thing not an immediate threat, deleted the rest of the conversation as he usually did.  
  
It didn’t take him long to get ready for the day - he had fallen asleep with his shoes off and was too lazy to change, so he just washed his face, teeth and armpits before leaving with Noemi’s shop in mind.  
  
Coffee before hoes.  
  
“Good afternoon Wrench,” Noemi greeted him with a sweet smile and a take-out coffee cup.  
  
“Good **morning** ,” he stressed, flashing back a happy expression of his own through the mask.  
  
He set up his laptop, opening up the new conversation from the night before.  
  
  


i looked you up

youre cool

 _????_  
  
_Oh you're Horatio’s friend_  
  
_Thank you I guess???_  
  
_I’m Marcus btw_  
  
  
Wrench stared at the screen without really seeing it: it would only take a moment, one wrong move, for the whole thing to go in a very bad direction.  
  
He closed his laptop, grabbed his coffee (all the while ignoring the flyer Naomi had left for him on the counter) and walked out of the store without saying goodbye.  
  
In the past, before joining Dedsec, Wrench could bury himself in work and alcohol for ten days straight without anyone noticing. As long as he met deadlines and answered the phone, other hacking groups were not as thick. Not as friendly.  
  
Dedsec _would_ notice when Wrench went on a bender, and even if he wasn't close with all of them as they were with each other, he still knew they cared about him: Josh would send him memes completely out of context; Sitara would send him short clips from the HQ or missions as if they were movie trailers; Kevin would call him incessantly until Wrench picked up only to deliver knock-knock jokes at the strangest hours.  
  
The channel never went silent the whole day.  
  
  
-  
  
  
Marcus wasn't having a good week.  
  
Fate was actively trying to disrupt the launch: marketing reports were late, distribution was a bitch, even his mailbox was sluggish. Unnerving.  
  
The music in his earbuds stopped as the phone started ringing with an incoming call. He sighed before picking up.  
  
"How may I be of service?" he asked, tired and slightly critical.  
  
_"Don't be a smart-ass Holloway,"_ Dušan Nemec reprimanded him.  
  
His voice betrayed a smile and Marcus thought, _Oh, dear. The man is in a **good mood**._  
  
"What can I do for you, boss?"  
  
  
-  
  
  
It was late night again. Wrench had drunk a lot less, but he was still (again) on Marcus "the Menace" Holloway's ScoutX page.  
  
A fucking nice home, warm colors and natural light and succulents.  
  
A mirror near the bed - kinky.  
  
A mirror selfie wearing a fucking sweater in early May. "Hipster," he commented under his breath.  
  
Wrench found a desk selfie, a cute colleague with huge glasses under his arm and a "I heart Jimmy Siska" sticker on his laptop.  
  
He grunted, because _of course_ the fucker would share one of his greatest passions; he refreshed the page out of frustration and saw Marcus's latest post.  
  
_"Really?! #theaudacityofthisb"_  
  
The pic had been posted a few minutes prior. Another selfie, this one featuring tired eyes and a tired smile and a beautiful sunset.  
  
Wrench self-consciously adjusted the straps of his mask, then went to get his own laptop. The man, Marcus, knew how to make a good call to arms.  
  
  
-  
  


i looked you up

youre cool

 _????_  
  
_Oh you're Horatio’s friend_  
  
_Thank you I guess??_  
  
_I’m Marcus btw_  
  
  


i know

im wrench

 _Of course you know, you looked me up_  
  
_Found anything good?_

dont flatter yourself

i like every jimmy fan

thats some good taste

 _God, no_  
  
_Send me their address_  
  
_I don't wanna share_

brutal

tell me more

  
-  
  
And so on, and so on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh I wanted to post this sooner but work has been kicking my ass and I'm too tired to read it again rn might correct any errors later today  
> Ciao, stay sexy


	3. Chapter 3

The Wrench was working: his new favorite activity since it meant he could stay hidden in his lair and don't interact with his stupid friends face to face.

He missed his bench at the HQ so much that Kevin had almost turned likeable in his mind, but still. Avoidance was necessary.

_"Come on guys, leave him alone, it's way too short."_

Wrench, who had been listening to DedSec debate his supposed crush for a few days now, could paint a perfect picture of Sitata shaking her head, arms crossed and a sour smile on her face.

_"Chew, you don't know him, our Wrench hates everyone --"_

"Hey, I don't!"

_"-- Three uninterrupted weeks of texting is pretty serious."_

_"Almost married,"_ Ray jumped in, grumpy and possibly hangover.

"For fuck's sake…"

Kevin didn't reply right away; he was probably driving like an old lady and getting targeted by the Mafia on the other side of town.

Wrench was working at his code and was ready to forget the umpteenth discussion about him and Marcus when Kevin picked it up again:

_"I'm just saying that three weeks are too short for it to be serious. It's not enough time for the custom engagement rings to --"_

"Fuck off, guys."

Wrench turned off his comm, cutting the discussion short.  
He then dropped every pretense of working and grabbed his phone - the black, cheap one he used to only text Marcus - and scrolled back through their previous conversations.

Sure, Marcus was **more** than fine. He was every bit as funny as Horatio had promised, and reliable, and caring.  
They shared the same tastes in movies and games, even if Holloway listened to some shitty music from time to time.

Things were going disgustingly fine, even if they hadn't seen each other since Nudle.

Wrench thought (again) of their first meeting, and instantly a very familiar anxiety took over his limbs.

He sent out a text before he could regret it.

dude 

what about nudle 

The reply came surprisingly fast, since Marcus was supposedly still at the gym.  
Wrench remembered a mirror selfie from a couple days before, sweat glistening on his skin like a fucking vampire, and felt a little bit sick.  
  
_\- What about it?_

when you asked me on break 

_\- ??_  
  
_\- What about it???_  
  
Wrench almost threw his phone across the room. 

forget it

just my friends bring dicks

*BEING dicks wtf

Wrench dropped the phone somewhere on the floor and got back to being useless at his work desk.  
A few minutes had passed, and he was considering getting spectacularly drunk and being done for the day when a dreaded incoming call made his pulse race.  
  
Marcus didn't _do_ halves.  
  
_"Wrench, my dude!"_  
  
His voice was warm and cheerful, and they hadn't spoken enough times for Wrench to survive this.  
  
"Heeeey, M."  
  
_"Horatio's being a dick to you?"_  
  
"Horatio is my bro and he's golden, leave him out of this!" Wrench was offended, and talking to Marcus made him stupid. "I have other friends, you know."  
  
Pretty stupid, indeed.  
  
Marcus laughed in the phone, slow and breathy, almost flirty. Wrench kept on pretending his brain wasn't turning to mush.  
  
_"Other friends are making fun of the time I asked you out and you ran?"_  
  
"You didn't ask me anywhere - you were being friendly with an idiot."  
  
_"Umm, trust me,"_ \- he could _hear_ Marcus smiling and it was like a punch in the face - _"I was asking you out. I'd know, man."_  
  
Umm. Nope.  
  
"Stop fucking around. I'll scream and set something on fire."  
  
_"You don't believe me, dude? I gotta ask you out again?"_  
  
Wrench hung up.  
  
He was born a loser, and there was no way he could ever win this.  
  
  
-  
  
  
Marcus sent a last text and slipped the phone into his breast pocket.  
  
A short drive later he was home, pleasantly tired from the gym and the short conversation. He dragged his body through the silent lobby and checked his emails while climbing the stairs.  
  
A quick dinner, social networks and an old movie should have been the only things on his mind (along with a single, still unanswered text message), but launch was less than a week away and Marcus **knew** that the worst had yet to come.  
  
Nemec had been over the moon: the man enjoyed playing cat and mouse with Dedsec - finding their backdoor and signatures, using whatever the hacker group found to trick them and lead them wherever he wanted.  
  
Holloway, whose main activity was to try and savage whatever they may destroy, wasn't as happy as his boss.  
  
  
(Marcus didn't necessarily _dislike_ what Dedsec did - some of the projects he had worked on in the last few months made his skin crawl - but it was work, and it kept a roof over his head and his siblings in school, and it was fine.)  
  
  
He spent the rest of the evening periodically checking his emails, and both his work and personal phone, waiting for a dreaded call from security that never came.  
Sometime after midnight he fell asleep in front of the TV, and he woke up to Wrench answering his texts from the day before.  
  
  
_\- Let's skip the date and come over for breakfast tomorrow  
  
\- It's stupid we haven't seen each other yet  
  
\- Don't leave me hangin _  


im bringing my own coffee

_\- I'll keep the expensive imported shit for myself then_

!!

omw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In canon Marcus is **lovely** , and Wrench (probably) crushes so hard he hurts himself in his confusion POKÉMON style. I guess.
> 
> ALSO, seeing all the hits and kudos and subscriptions when the Fandom is, like, dead, is really rewarding. Grazie 🚀


	4. Chapter 4

The Wrench wasn't used to... this.

Even through his mask the unfamiliar light, stranger crowd, funny smells made him nervous. It had been _years_ since he had last experienced the morning rush.

He earned himself a spot at the very back and dutifully waited for Noemi to notice him. The girl danced around customers with her usual easy smile and smart mouth, and the hacker felt anxiety stir in his chest.

Time had cleared that she may have flirted back a couple of times, but it was all in the past now.

Waiting for Noemi to come and get his order Wrench went and read his last messages.

im bringing my own coffee

_\- I'll keep the expensive imported shit for myself then_

!!

omw

u want anything

 _\- For you to come over…?_  
  
  
After an internal debate he decided to delete Marcus’s last reply and completely forget about it.  
  
“Hello Wrench - is the world on fire?” Noemi surprised him with a cup of coffee.  
  
“Umm, hey Noemi, thank you.”  
  
He was quick to slip his phone into his pocket; she was even quicker in noticing, her mood changing right away.  
  
“Is everything alright?”  
  
“Yeah, _yeah_ , of course,” happy eyes flashed onto his mask. He fumbled for a bit with his words before adding, “What about you?”  
  
“I see you’re getting better,” Noemi laughed a bit. “I’m good. Excited about tomorrow’s show. You coming?”  
  
“Ah, umm - don’t know yet. Sorry.”  
  
_May have to overthrow Blume and the government with it._  
  
“I’ll text you.”  
  
“I’m counting on it, don’t forget.” She then pointed at the coffee cup in his hand. “You good to go? This one's on me.”  
  
“Actually - I need another one. And donuts, I think? Your coffee is shit, why did I come here again?”  
  
In his nervous rambling he didn’t notice Noemi raise her eyebrows.  
  
“Wrench!” she shouted. A few heads turned to look at them, as the waitress grabbed him by the shoulders and lightly shook him. “Is this a _coffee run_?”  
  
“I’m… getting coffee?”  
  
“It is! Oh-em-gee where did you _sleep_ tonight, you--”  
  
Her eyes fell to his hands: she stole the cup back and quickly made her way to the kitchen. “I’ll get you a better one!”  
  
Wrench was speechless.  
  
Waiting for his crazy, benevolent friend to come back, he pulled out yet again his phone, already regretting his decision to delete Marcus’s text from before.  
  


almost outta here

eta f me if i know

 _\- THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT_  
  
  
"Hey, Wrench, hey - take this."  
  
Noemi was back with two paper bags, one of them filled with way too many donuts.  
  
"How much is this shit costing me?!" he whined, regretting many bad decisions.  
  
"Let's make a deal - you come back tomorrow, tell me how it went?"  
  
"Please, just let me pay."  
Wrench was not above whining.  
  
"Don't be rude! Be cool. And don't mess things up."  
  
"What the fuck? There's _nothing_ to fu--"  
  
Noemi knocked twice on the display of his mask, catching him off-guard.  
  
" **Relax** and get out of here."  
  
She smiled at his surprise, lightly shoving him to the door, and Wrench could remember why he would always hate her a little less than the others.  
  
  
-  
  
  
Marcus had taken a shower, put away a few things, cleaned the kitchen table.  
  
He was feeling fine, used by now to sleep deprivation; he put his work laptop on the (spotless, good job!) table and replied to a few emails while waiting around. His agenda was a disaster and he really couldn't afford a morning off - but Blume made _a lot_ of money off his work so screw them.  
  
Wrench called to announce he had reached Marcus's living complex.  
  
Marcus buzzed him up, then waited for the strange man to find his way through the communal garden to block B.  
  
There was a strange, almost metallic quality to Wrench's voice, and Marcus imagined his phone to be pretty old.  
  
_"Mission accomplished, I'm on the elevator."_  
  
"See you soon, man."  
  
Marcus was excited, exhausted, and absolutely not ready.  
  
Having Wrench in his apartment was… mind blowing.  
  
His tattoos and his studs looked out of place in his _boring_ living room, but the moment the man opened his mouth and cracked out a joke - _"What did I do to you, man, this place is so middle class"_ \- Marcus was lost.  
  
Together they drank average coffee and ate donuts, talking of their respective friends, swapping opinions over movies and video games, describing memes they had found and lost to the internet.  
  
It wasn't different from their text conversations, except that it was.  
  
At times, seemingly without a pattern, Wrench slightly moved his body on the couch so their eyes couldn't meet.  
He was awkward in a way that screamed "I am not used to face-to-face interactions": he made faces and waved his limbs all over the place in neurotic excitement, as if his mind ran way faster than their conversation.  
  
Marcus was charmed.  
  
"Mark, Marcus, _wait_."  
  
"What?"  
  
Wrench took a big dramatic breath, fighting against a smirk as he asked, "Are you CIA?"  
  
"Why would you _insult me_ like that in my own house -"  
  
They sat together on the couch: Marcus had a hand over his chest, pretending a heart attack, and Wrench, having caught up with the act, was pressed against his side in fake concern.  
  
They were both laughing, not even pretending to keep their faces straight.  
"Why?!"  
  
"Oh, come on - it makes sense!" Wrench rambled on.  
"Your job sounds completely made up, you can afford _this_ house, you won't name your employees -"  
  
"NDAs are a thing, you know?"  
  
"Everybody likes you and this is impossible, no one in real life can have this many friends, it must be some top secret mind controlling implant or something -"  
  
"Why would my implant control your mind?"  
  
"It doesn't!" Wrench opened his arms. "I don't like you!"  
  
"You don't like me?"  
There was definitely a smile hidden somewhere in Marcus's voice.  
  
"Not even one bit."  
  
He breathed loudly through his nose, searching for the right answer. He could have played along, or even tried and tricked Wrench into admitting to… anything, really.  
  
Instead Marcus put a hand on the back of Wrench's neck. Like a switch, it shut him up and lit up his eyes.  
  
They looked each other for a few _slow_ moments, ensuring the intentions were mutual and no boundaries were being crossed, before falling into each other.  
  
  
-  
  
  
Wrench kissed Marcus for a long time, hugging the man against his own body.  
  
The couch was starting to get uncomfortable and the kisses were hurting his cheeks, but he just couldn't stop.  
  
His body was turning very warm very fast: Wrench gasped for air as Marcus lowered his mouth to his neck, kissing and biting whatever skin he could reach.  
  
There was no other possible ending to them meeting, really.  
  
Marcus was a great guy, unbearably hot, and Wrench was a goner.  
  
A phone ringing (or maybe more? How long had they been kissing?) was the only way to pull them off each other, almost like ripping off a band-aid.  
  
Marcus hurried to the table to pick, holding the phone with his shoulder so he'd have both hands to start up his laptop.  
  
Wrench straightened his clothes and got up, slow and uncertain. He could spy a warehouse security feed on the monitor, and Marcus was still on his phone, silently worrying over the registered alarm report.  
  
He refrained from asking questions and got ready to leave: Marcus's expression was getting darker and darker, his eyes a thousand miles away, and Wrench knew their time was up for the day.  
  
"These - _fuckers_ " Marcus sighed, letting his phone fall to the table with a loud clatter.  
  
"Marcus...?" Wrench approached him, hesitant to reach out.  
  
"I'll walk you to the door."  
  
He felt suddenly very nervous.  
What was he supposed to do? Should he just follow and leave? Should they touch? _Shake hands?_  
  
"I'll… call you later?" he tried.  
  
He almost jumped in surprise when Marcus invaded his space, taking his face in his hands and kissing him short and sweet.  
  
"Dinner?"  
  
"It's 10 AM."  
Wrench was baffled.  
  
"Not now, man - tonight."  
  
"With me?"  
  
Marcus laughed.  
Their faces were near, their noses nearly touching.  
  
"Does the Duke require a formal invitation?"  
Marcus's breath against his skin was very hot and Wrench was going to die.  
"Shall I send for a carriage?"  
  
Wrench, whose brain was on the floor in a puddle, nodded.  
  
"You're making me stupid - please, stop."  
  
"You say the cutest shit!"  
  
"Kill me?"  
  
Marcus kissed him again; it was about the same thing.  
  
"I will see you tonight."  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOOOO BOY OF COURSE MARCUS WAS CHARMED  
> The coffee run is 110% in character w/ what we know about Noemi. Fight me about it.
> 
> (Actually, please don’t, I’m brittle and I may cry.)
> 
> Well, thank you everyone who has commented and given kudos lately! I've been having a crappy few weeks and it made me really happy.
> 
> I'll be back soon, I swear.  
> Stay safe.  
> Bacini

**Author's Note:**

> I’m in love with the concept of Blume!Marcus, I’m not even sorry.  
> The title may be temporary.  
> Let me know with a comment if you think this should go on or if this one chapter is enough for you, I have a slightly outlined plot and could write more - buuuut I’m okay with just imagining it as I fall asleep, too. 
> 
> Please note that I don't speak English on a daily basis because it's not my mothertongue - whatever error you may find let me know tnxxx  
> Baci baci


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